Acclaimed director James Cameron has disclosed his contingency strategy should the upcoming third instalment in his groundbreaking Avatar series fail to meet financial expectations at the global box office.
The Future of Pandora Hangs in Balance
During a recent appearance on Matt Belloni's The Town podcast, Cameron addressed concerns about the commercial prospects of Avatar: Fire and Ash, scheduled for cinematic release this December. The visionary filmmaker acknowledged spending three decades immersed in the world of Pandora but remains pragmatic about the franchise's continuation.
"I have no doubt in my mind that this movie will make money," Cameron stated confidently. "The question is, does it make enough money to justify doing it again?" He added with philosophical acceptance, "If this is where it ends, cool."
Cameron's Creative Exit Strategy
The director revealed one particular narrative thread that wouldn't reach resolution if the series concludes after the third film. Rather than leaving audiences completely hanging, Cameron has devised an alternative approach to complete the storytelling.
"There's one open thread," he acknowledged. "I'll write a book!" This literary solution would provide closure for dedicated fans should Disney decide against greenlighting the planned fourth and fifth instalments.
Cameron also established firm boundaries regarding creative control, emphasising that no future Avatar film would proceed without his close involvement. "I don't think there'd ever be a version where there's another Avatar movie that I didn't produce closely," he asserted.
Box Office Legacy and New Directions
The Avatar franchise boasts an impressive commercial history. The original 2009 film remains the highest-grossing movie of all time with nearly $3 billion in global earnings, while 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water accumulated $2.3 billion.
The forthcoming Fire and Ash promises to showcase a different aspect of Na'vi culture. While previous films featured the peaceful Omaticaya and Metkayina clans, the third instalment introduces the fiery Ash People.
"I want to show the Na'vi from another angle because, so far, I have only shown their good sides," Cameron explained to France's 20 Minutes earlier this year.
At an April screening event, the director hinted at intense challenges facing main characters Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), with Sully expressing: "We cannot live like this – we cannot live with this hate."
Cameron also expressed hope that the film would provide a much-needed boost for cinema owners still recovering from the combined impact of pandemic restrictions and streaming competition.
Should Fire and Ash achieve the necessary commercial success, the franchise would continue with fourth and fifth films currently scheduled for December 2029 and December 2031 releases respectively.
Avatar: Fire and Ash arrives in theatres worldwide on December 19, 2025, carrying not just the future of Pandora but potentially the conclusion of one of cinema's most ambitious sagas.
